It was already apparent to the Jacksonville Jaguars that Blaine Gabbert was making solid strides in his second season as an NFL quarterback.
It looks like his progress will only pick up speed with the addition of the first receiver taken in last spring's NFL draft.
Gabbert outperformed Saints star Drew Brees, and the young Jaguars quarterback found rookie Justin Blackmon for a score as Jacksonville took a 27-24 preseason victory over New Orleans on Friday night.
''He had a really good start, really putting the ball where our guys could catch it and make plays afterward,'' Jaguars coach Mike Mularkey said.
Long after the starters were done for the night, the Saints rallied to take a 24-20 lead on undrafted rookie Travaris Cadet's 24-yard catch and run with under 2 minutes to go. But Jacksonville backup Jordan Palmer hit Kevin Elliott with an 11-yard touchdown pass on fourth down with 13 seconds left to keep the Jaguars (No. 31 in the AP Pro 32) unbeaten in two preseason games.
G...

You'll
also
receive Yardbarker's daily Top 10, featuring the best sports stories from around the web.
Customize your newsletter to get articles on your favorite sports and teams. And the best part? It's free!